Krishna: Meditation Basic
Krishna described a method of pratyahar and dharana which are standard for most yogis, irrespective of sect, philosophies and belief. Even when there is discord among yogis still some methods used are quite similar or may be the same.
For refrigeration or heating, the flow of electrical current into the appliance is the same, even though the machinery are different.
Here is a verse (my translation):
स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्
चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवोः ।
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा
नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ ॥५.२७॥
sparśānkṛtvā bahirbāhyāṁś
cakṣuścaivāntare bhruvoḥ
prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā
nāsābhyantaracāriṇau (5.27)
sparśān — sensual contact; kṛtvā — having done; bahir = bahiḥ — external; bāhyāṁś = bāhyān — excluded; cakṣuścaivāntare = cakṣuḥ — visual focus + ca — and + (eva) — indeed + antare — in between; bhruvoḥ — of the two eyebrows; prāṇāpānau — both inhalation and exhalation; samau — in balance; kṛtvā — having made; nāsābhyantaracāriṇau = nāsa — nose + abhyantara — within + cāriṇau — moving
Excluding the external sensual contacts, and fixing the visual focus between the eyebrows, putting the inhalation and exhalation in balance, moving through the nose. (Bhagavad Gita 5.27)
The exclusion of the external sensual contacts is the elementary stage of a pratyahar sensual energy withdrawal. It concerns termination of interest of whatever is outside the physical body. In a more advanced state, it concerns termination of interest of what is outside the subtle body. And then again in an even more advanced stage, it concerns termination of extraneous interest of inside the subtle body.
This verse describes the two basis phases which are termination of the interest in what is outside both the physical and subtle bodies. This means no usage of the five gross and five subtle senses to peer outside the physical body or subtle psyche.
After this is achieved, the yogi should execute a focus within the head of the subtle body, so that the operations of thinking, imagination and remembering cease. To do this the interest of the core-self must be disciplined so that it is kept fixed on the visual focus between the eyebrows but without this visual focus being engage in any visual object. This should be done with ease on the condition that the energy in the physical and subtle bodies are balanced. This is physical breath and subtle breath (prana).
The argument that this is impossible does not stand, because there is no verse which I discovered in the Gita which says that it is not possible. This is recommended by Krishna.
The other argument that this is not practical because we live in the Age of Kali does have some merit but not enough to outlaw this pratyahar sensual energy and dharana focus restraint practice for every human being. Anyone who is determined and who can practice has every right to do this practice. Those who in the name of Krishna outlaw these practices are working against Krishna Himself because he recommended and described this method of introspection.
